Print Media

This is a coverage by Ashima Sehajpal of The Tribune, one of the leading newspapers in India. Click the above image to download the original article in PDF format.

Every theory is futile and meditation a waste, unless it's practised and applied the way it should be. "That's the reason I say to the nuns and monks, 'go out of monasteries, reach out to people and tell them how they can lead a better life'. Mere meditation would help only in the enlightenment of the self but how can it benefit others unless you talk about it," come the wise words from His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the eight-century-old Drukpa Lineage.

The sleepy town of Kathmandu was literally awash in maroon and saffron last week. Over 4,000 monks and nuns from around the world descended in the capital of Nepal to attend the week-long Annual Drukpa Council meet. The first ever meet organised by Drukpa, an offshoot of Mahayana Buddhism, was partly an attempt to let the world know more about itself. "It is important to come out and interact with the world. There's plenty to do - to guide the youth and teach them the virtues of love, compassion and wisdom," His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa says pragmatically. Unconventional in more ways than one, he doesn't merely preach - he has a website of his own, is a regular blogger and it may not be long before he considers tweeting as well. His teachings are also webcast live in multiple languages.

This is a coverage by Kamleshwar Singh of Indian Express, one of the leading newspapers in India. Click the above image to download the original article in PDF format.

Head of the Drukpa Lineage (proponents of the Mahayana Buddhist philosophy), the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa (center) will lead a padyatra from May 23 to July 3. The 400-km padyatra will pass through Manali and Himachal Pradesh before culminating in Ladakh to coincide with the Hemis Festival. Nearly 750 Buddhist monks will accompany Drukpa in the padyatra. Drukpa addressed the Chandigarh media in Sector 22 on Friday. "In these times of economic uncertainty, violent conflict and diseases sweeping the world, people crave for moral support. The padyatra will lead to the innate enlightened nature within us," he said.

For the first time ever, several liberation-on-sight nangtens were made public at the first annual Drukpa Council in Kathmandu.

Thousands of devotees, including hundreds of Bhutanese, got a glimpse of sacred Drukpa Lineage relics, as old as 800 years, in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu last week.

The nangtens (sacred relics), including Dechok Khorlodompa (Chakrasamvara), tutelary deity, a tooth relic of Marpa and an image of Jetsun Milarepa were made public for the first time in Drukpa Lineage history, during the first Annual Drukpa Council (ADC) at Druk Amitabha. About 50 rinpoches and truelkus also saw the relics of their masters and gurus for the first time.

Sourabh Gupta, from the The Hindustan Times, carried this piece, along with a photo of His Holiness, monks and nuns releasing balloons, marking the unofficial flagging of the Pad Yatra. Click the above image to download the original article in PDF format.

He is the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, Ladakh's current spiritual leader, and he is inviting all youngsters to join him on a 400-km pilgrimage on foot, from Manali to Ladakh, through five Himalayan passes in a 42-day-long journey of a lifetime and learn to live for others.

About 50 Bhutanese monks - excluding several officials, volunteers and pilgrims - led by Zhung Yangbi Lopen and Ashi Kesang C T Wangchuck are at the Druk Amitabha mountain in Kathmandu, Nepal, attending, what is called, the annual Drukpa council (ADC).

Started for the first time and planned as a yearly event, ADC aims to discuss, nourish, conserve and promote the Drukpa teachings. Presiding over the meeting is His Holiness Gyalwang Drupchen Rinpoche, the reincarnation of Drogon Tsangpa Gyare (founder of the Drukpa lineage) and recognised and revered as the spiritual head of the Drukpa lineage.

More than 60 other Drukpa masters are attending the meeting. In total, there are 1,000 people. The 50 Bhutanese monks, headed by Zhung Yangbi Lopen, have been conducting a drupchen at the Druk Amitabha mountain, while some 16 Bhutanese volunteers have been helping in the day-to-day affairs of the ADC.

The chief coordinator of the Bhutanese group, Ashi Kesang C T Wangchuck, said that Bhutan and Druk Amitabha dratsang shared a common religion and His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa wanted a major participation from Bhutan.

The main reason for the meeting was that the teachings of the Drukpa lineage were found to be on the verge of disappearance in the Himalayan region, say Drukpa masters. The teachings, especially the ancient oral transmission of Drukpa lineage in Bhutan, Tibet, Nepal, and Sikkim and Ladakh in India, have been fading away because of modernisation and lack of communication between the great masters and the followers, they said.

The Drupka masters said various enlightened masters and monastic bodies seldom had the opportunity to work together to promote the lineage, due to lack of proper communication among the different masters and various monasteries and nunneries. Therefore, ADC aims to bring all the grandmasters and followers of Drukpa lineage together and spread the teachings.

ADC will conduct traditional rituals and practices and open discussions and exchange of views regarding the practical use of spirituality to resolve todayâ€™s difficulties and challenges.

The story of the origins of the Drukpa lineage goes this way. Drogon Tsangpa Gyare Yeshi Dorje, the Buddha of Compassion (Tibetan - Chenrezig, Skt. - Avalokiteshvara) one day reached Nam-gyi Phu, near Lhasa in Tibet, in search of a site to build a monastery. He discovered nine dragons, said to be manifestations of Indian Mahasiddhas, which reared up from the earth and soared into the sky with loud thunderous roars. Thereafter his lineage and the followers were called "Drukpa".

ADC will provide an annual opportunity for followers of the Drukpa lineage to meet once a year to nourish a firm bond and strengthen the relationship between individuals and groups of the Drukpa sangha (disciples), the organisers said. It will be organised at different monasteries within the Drukpa lineage. The Nepal meeting, which began today, will end on April 15.

Narayani Ganesh, Senior Editor, The Times of India, penned down her interview with His Holiness as part of the spiritual column called the "Speaking Tree" which has a large following in India. Click the image on the left to download the original article in PDF format.

What is compassion? To be compassionate is to understand. If you don't understand, no matter what you do in the name of compassion, you won't get anywhere.

You need to practise compassion but in order to do that you need to not only talk compassion but also do compassion. Going on a yatra or pilgrimage with other people, for instance, is a good opportunity to interact with others, tending to each other's needs and doing all this selflessly. More than 600 people will join the yatra, and most of them are women.

We need to integrate Buddha's thought to modern life. Which is why the spiritual padyatra that is to commence today from Manali will seek to raise public awareness on the significance of education, health care, environment and heritage and in the process, also help us on our journey towards enlightenment. Going on a pilgrimage is one way of finding the innate enlightened nature that resides within each one of us and use it to empower ourselves and serve humanity.

About 50 Bhutanese monks - excluding several officials, volunteers and pilgrims - led by Zhung Yangbi Lopen and Ashi Kesang C T Wangchuck are at the Druk Amitabha mountain in Kathmandu, Nepal, attending, what is called, the annual Drukpa council (ADC).

Started for the first time and planned as a yearly event, ADC aims to discuss, nourish, conserve and promote the Drukpa teachings. Presiding over the meeting is His Holiness Gyalwang Drupchen Rinpoche, the reincarnation of Drogon Tsangpa Gyare (founder of the Drukpa lineage) and recognised and revered as the spiritual head of the Drukpa lineage.

More than 60 other Drukpa masters are attending the meeting. In total, there are 1,000 people. The 50 Bhutanese monks, headed by Zhung Yangbi Lopen, have been conducting a drupchen at the Druk Amitabha mountain, while some 16 Bhutanese volunteers have been helping in the day-to-day affairs of the ADC.

The chief coordinator of the Bhutanese group, Ashi Kesang C T Wangchuck, said that Bhutan and Druk Amitabha dratsang shared a common religion and His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa wanted a major participation from Bhutan.

The main reason for the meeting was that the teachings of the Drukpa lineage were found to be on the verge of disappearance in the Himalayan region, say Drukpa masters. The teachings, especially the ancient oral transmission of Drukpa lineage in Bhutan, Tibet, Nepal, and Sikkim and Ladakh in India, have been fading away because of modernisation and lack of communication between the great masters and the followers, they said.

The Drupka masters said various enlightened masters and monastic bodies seldom had the opportunity to work together to promote the lineage, due to lack of proper communication among the different masters and various monasteries and nunneries. Therefore, ADC aims to bring all the grandmasters and followers of Drukpa lineage together and spread the teachings.

ADC will conduct traditional rituals and practices and open discussions and exchange of views regarding the practical use of spirituality to resolve todayâ€™s difficulties and challenges.

The story of the origins of the Drukpa lineage goes this way. Drogon Tsangpa Gyare Yeshi Dorje, the Buddha of Compassion (Tibetan - Chenrezig, Skt. - Avalokiteshvara) one day reached Nam-gyi Phu, near Lhasa in Tibet, in search of a site to build a monastery. He discovered nine dragons, said to be manifestations of Indian Mahasiddhas, which reared up from the earth and soared into the sky with loud thunderous roars. Thereafter his lineage and the followers were called â€˜Drukpaâ€™.

ADC will provide an annual opportunity for followers of the Drukpa lineage to meet once a year to nourish a firm bond and strengthen the relationship between individuals and groups of the Drukpa sangha (disciples), the organisers said. It will be organised at different monasteries within the Drukpa lineage. The Nepal meeting, which began today, will end on April 15.

Overlooking the dusty and crowded Katmandu in Nepal is the Druk Amitabha Mountain where about 300 nuns live, many from Ladakh, Vietnam, Himalchal Pradesh and Tibet. But there is one nun from Bhutan. And she's at home here.

The Annual Drukpa Council (ADC), a brainchild of His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa, aims to provide a platform for building and nourishing inter-group relationships within the Drukpa lineage, as well as to introduce and share the richness of its spiritual legacy to others. Bhutan Today

B.T.: What is Annual Drukpa Council?

H.E.: In Buddhist history, there were three councils or kadua that took place in India. The first that was ever held was one year after Lord Buddha Shakyamuni passed away, and it was performed by 500 Ahrahats headed by Ananda or Kuengao, Odsung and Nyewar Khor and sponsored by the Buddhist King Ajatashatru. The second was headed by Ahrahat Drakpa and 700 other Ahrahats and held 110 years after Lord Buddha had passed away, and the famous Indian Buddhist King Ashoka, was the sponsor of the second council. And the third was headed by Arahat Suniwa, 500 Arahats and Boddhisattvas, Sixty thousand Panditas and it was held 300 years after Buddha had passed away. The purpose of all these councils were to collect all the teachings of the Buddha that were available at that time, and to preserve its original contents and correct mistakes or misconceptions as well as to add to those missing or incomplete texts for the benefit of sentient beings of the time.

Similarly the first ADC or Annual Drukpa Council was envisioned by His Holiness the XII Gyalwang Drukpa in consultation with Drukpa masters from Bhutan, Tibet, India, Nepal, etc. Though the ADC does not purport to have such a great aim as to be exactly similar as to the three great historical councils, that were able to review and revive the entire Buddhist canons; it aspires to at least revive the many teachings and practices of the Drukpa Lineagethat are very much in danger of disappearing. This is due to the lack of a platform that would enable all the great masters to exchange their teachings with each other as well as with the rest of us.

B.T.: What are its objectives?

H.E.: The objectives of the ADC is simply to have a gathering of great masters from Bhutan, India, Nepal, Tibet, etc and to provide an opportunity for those who wish to meet them, receive teachings and blessings(wang, lung, tri) and thereby guiding the people in their spiritual path. It is to be held every once a year in different locations where the Drukpa Lineage has historical importance and spiritual connections. This is with the hope that with the rotation of locations, it will allow for cultural and spiritual exchange between the host country and its participants.

I personally feel that there is a great need for this. For example, there is a general lack of awareness of the spiritual and historical connections between Ladakh and Bhutan. I found that many are unaware that there are around 80 Drukpa Lineage monasteries in Ladakh and that Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal is equally revered there. Even the great master Sewla Jamgoen Ngawang Gyeltshen visited Ladakh upon the request of the king of Ladakh and built 8 monasteries that still exist to this day with many statues of Shabdrung in the main chapels. And it is the desire of the ADC to give a chance for countries like Bhutan and Ladakh and their respective peoples to reconnect with their shared historical spiritual past.

B.T.: Who are organizers/ funders?

H.E.:The first ADC will take place from 8 April to 15 April 2009 in Druk Amitabha Mountain, Swayambhunath, Nepal. Druk Amitabha is one of the main seats of Drukpa Lineage and it is being organized in various capacities by all of the 120 Drukpa monasteries in India, Nepal, and also the 25 International Drukpa Centers.

B.T.:Who are participants?

H.E.:The main participants are, the international Sangha and Dharma followers from Bhutan, Ladakh, Garsha, Kinnaur, etc. But it is open to anyone.

B.T:What are benefits public would reap after the council?

H.E.: First and foremost of all, I think it is very hard to meet even one great master, let alone many. And also to be able to receive teachings, initiations and ask questions in regard to not only spiritual practices, but on living our lives with meaning-it is a rare opportunity. There will also be display (jey kha) of sacred relics which gives liberation by sight, (Throng Drol) the main among them being the self arising Chakrasamvara (Rangjung Demchok Khorlo) which was found among the remains of the IV Gyalwang Drukpa Kun Khyen Pema Karpo. The present holy relic Rangjung Kharsapani of Bhutan was also found among the remains of 1st Gyalwang Drukpa Tsangpa Gyare, the founder of the Drukpa Lineage (1206).

B.T.:Any message, advice and instructions to the people of Bhutan?

H.E.: I have no advice as such but few thoughts and reflections to share. As it is said in the Dharma, we all desire happiness but most of us actively follow the causes of unhappiness, and feel that qualities like compassion, forbearance, generosity, patience and appreciation, caring for others are only for the spiritual people like monks, lamas and practitioners but the reality of interdependence is that we have to give others happiness in order for ourselves to experience happiness. It is especially true for us human beings because most of our joy and suffering are very much dependent on how others relate to us.

Negative thoughts and actions never give personal happiness, neither to one's circle of friends and family or to the society at large. Anyway I am sure that reflections of our past actions, thoughts and experience will prove that.

Other than wisdom and compassion which come from practicing Dharma there is no true way of affecting a change in one's thoughts, perceptions and actions. Therefore, along with success of one's material life one should dedicate a part of one's life for the development of spiritual or mental happiness.

B.T.: What are the future endeavors in Bhutan as well as in other countries?

H.E: The main endeavor of the spiritual community will always be to bring peace, harmony and happiness to all countries, through the teachings of the Lineage and also it is the aim of the ADC for the spiritual community to contribute in social service activities- I don